Getting in Balance: Alkalinity and Acidity

In its natural, healthy state, our body is slightly
alkaline—the opposite of acidic. In fact, our blood and cells
depend on remaining in this slightly alkaline state for our very
survival. For example, to produce energy from the food we eat, a
healthy cell requires abundant oxygen—an alkalinizing element.
A healthy cell also contains alkaline minerals like potassium.

If we could only maintain this state, then many
of the physical and emotional problems that plague us—including
fatigue, headaches, chronic illnesses, colds, flu, even an inability
to think clearly—might rarely appear. But the reality is that
everything we’re exposed to, from the foods we eat to the sports
we play to the pollutants we encounter, produce acidic chemicals,
tipping us out of our ideal acid/alkaline balance and resulting
in a long list of physical and emotional ailments.

We can handle this fairly well when we’re young.
For in youth, our body is pretty good at buffering
the acidic effects of the foods we eat and the life we live because
our lungs and kidneys are strong, our bones rich in alkaline minerals,
and our blood good at buffering acidity.

But as we age and experience increasing amounts
of the acid-causing stresses of modern life, it becomes more and
more difficult for our body to naturally buffer the effects. One
reason for the decline is simply the normal aging process. But strenuous
athletic activity, years of stress, or even a lifetime of eating
the standard, nutritionally bereft Western diet, can hasten this
loss of buffering ability.

The good news is that by making relatively minor
changes in your diet and lifestyle, you can bring your acid/alkalinity
into a healthier balance, regardless of your age, and live a healthier
life in the process.

First though, you need to figure out where you
lie on the acid/alkaline spectrum. Click here
to evaluate your own acidity/alkalinity with our quiz, or here
to learn about other ways you can determine your own tendency towards
alkalinity or acidity.

Buffering Capability Buffering is your body’s ability to restore balance between alkaline and acidity. There are numerous ways your body buffers acidity. Your blood contains three buffering systems designed to keep it to its tightly regulated, slightly alkaline pH of 7.35 to 7.45.     Your lungs and kidneys help eliminate acid substances when acid levels rise too high, and preserve alkaline substances. The reverse occurs if you become too alkaline. If you become too acidic, your body will leach alkaline minerals from your bones to maintain the slightly acidic pH of the blood. This can increase your risk of osteoporosis.

For more on alkalinity/acidity, read on:

Checklist:
Are You Overly Acidic or a High Alkaline Producer?
Testing Your Own Acid/Alkaline
Balance
Naturally Great
Alkalinizers
Tending Towards Acidity